1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to force-feedback multidirectional input devices electrically controlled by a manually operated knob and configured to feed back the sense of a force, and particularly to a force-feedback multidirectional input device allowing a lateral sliding operation and a depressing operation (pushing operation).
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, force-feedback multidirectional input devices intended for in-car control apparatuses such as air conditioners, audio systems, and navigation systems have been proposed. In such input devices, when function adjustment or the like is performed by manually operating an operation knob, an external force (sense of a force) such as resistance or thrust corresponding to the amount and direction of operation performed on the operation knob is fed back, whereby a good operational feeling is provided so that a desired operation can be reliably performed. An exemplary related-art force-feedback multidirectional input device allows a rocking operation and includes an actuating member having a lever portion and a gear portion, a rockable operation knob provided at the top of the lever portion and with which the actuating member is tilted, a rotary motor whose drive shaft rotates in conjunction with the gear portion of the actuating member, and detecting means capable of detecting the tilting of the actuating member. In this input device, driving of the drive shaft of the rotary motor is controlled in accordance with a signal that is output from the detecting means. Thus, the rotary motor feeds back the sense of force to the operation knob through the actuating member.
Another force-feedback multidirectional input device disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-217359 allows a rocking operation and a depressing operation (pushing operation). This input device includes a push switch provided between an operation knob and a lever portion of an actuating member. When the user depresses the operation knob, the downward movement of the operation knob turns the push switch on. Therefore, a series of operation can be performed in which, for example, the operation knob is rocked to select any item from a menu and is then depressed to fix the selected item. Thus, the practical value of the force-feedback multidirectional input device is increased.
Yet another force-feedback multidirectional input device disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-31074 allows a sliding operation. In this input device, an operation knob is joined to a slider at the top of a stem of the slider. The slider is supported by a guide wall provided on a pedestal and is slidable in the lateral direction. The sliding movement of the slider causes actuating members to actuate in conjunction with drive shafts of rotary motors through transmission gears or the like. Any changes in the positions of the actuating members are detected by detecting means. In this input device, the operation knob is slidable along the front surface of a decorative panel on which the input device is mounted. Therefore, the amount of projection of the operation knob from the decorative panel can be reduced significantly. Moreover, the user can sense the direction and amount of operation performed on the operation knob more easily than in the cases of rockable input devices. Therefore, if a push switch allowing a depressing operation is added to such a slidable force-feedback multidirectional input device, the practical value of the input device is expected to increase significantly.
Nevertheless, if a push switch is provided between a rockable operation knob and a lever portion of an actuating member as in the case of the force-feedback multidirectional input device disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-217359, the push switch needs to be electrically wired in such a manner as to follow the rocking of the operation knob, resulting in complicated wiring. In such a case, wires may be broken with an excessively large operational force. Moreover, it is not very easy to smoothly perform a series of rocking and depressing operations on the operation knob, meaning that there is yet room for improvement in terms of ease of operation.
In the force-feedback multidirectional input device disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-31074, clearances need to be provided between the guide wall of the pedestal slidably supporting the slider and the slider and between the slider and the actuating members moved by the slider. These clearances are liable to cause rattling of the slider and the operation knob while the input device is not operated, generating unpleasant sound (rattle noise) while the car is being driven. Moreover, in the slidable force-feedback multidirectional input device also, if a push switch is provided between the operation knob and the stem of the slider so as to allow the depressing operation, the electrical wiring for the push switch become very complicated, and wire breakage is liable to occur.